bulkamancer

Painting Contest 2025 Results!

Added 2025-10-06 13:56:07 +0000 UTC

Hey friends,

Thank you to all the participants of our latest painting contest! This year, we had an unbelievable amount of 296 entries, 238 of whom managed to reach the end and finish painting a model in time. To my knowledge, this makes it the biggest painting contest ever hosted by a 3D modelling studio such as ours! And if I'm wrong, please correct me in the comments to help keep my ego in check.

Of course, going through so many entries was much more than any of us bargained for, let alone our invited judges, but we took it as seriously as we could and tried to ensure every participant had a great time. But hey, I know you are here for the winners, so let's get to it!

Join our Discord to see all participants!

Winners

With only a single category this year, it was no small feat to pick the top entries, especially when there were so many great ones. We did not want any bias, so we left the prize spots utterly at the decision of our invited judges: Timothy Day, Dianahase, Simona Bordonaro.

1st place: cbotsman

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1418253330446286989

Comment by Timothy Day:
Positive Feedback:
What truly sets this piece apart is its bold, painterly style—a technique that is no easy feat to master. It creates a captivating texture and a truly incredible atmosphere. The OSL from the fiery chain is top notch, casting realistic, luminous highlights and colored shadows across the figure. This is complemented by the use of a warm and cool color contrast, which creates a stunning focal point and masterful composition.
Critical Feedback:
The piece is nearly flawless. The only technical issue we found was a few minor support marks on the sword's hilt. While the artist did an excellent job concealing them, it's an area of prep to keep in mind for future projects. In the context of such a masterfully executed piece, this was a trivial point and had no influence on my final decision.
Congratulations on 1st place!

Comment by Dianahase: For me, this figure is a true standout with its good preparation and very good execution. The painting shows great control, with expressive contrast between armor, leather, and fabric. The base with the flames adds dramatic storytelling and emotional impact.

2nd place: Kris Jung

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1419051081782005821

Comment by Timothy Day:
Positive Feedback:
This piece is a masterclass in technical perfection, and the decision was incredibly close. The very first image really draws you in. Your blends are flawlessly smooth and your brush control is immaculate. The rendering of the glowing gems in the armor is particularly stunning. Your sophisticated color palette of purples and magentas perfectly captures the character's alien looking skin. This is a beautiful blend of colors, harmonious and perfectly balanced.
Critical Feedback:
The back of the cloak seems less refined than the interior. While the veiny texture inside is incredibly detailed, the exterior looks a bit rushed in comparison. Building up the colors with more translucent layers could add the depth needed to match the quality of the rest of the piece.
Congratulations on 2nd Place!

Comment by Dianahase: This figure impresses with its clean details across the complex surfaces. The vibrant purples and reds are blended beautifully, giving the piece a strong, otherworldly presence. The crystal base enhances the atmosphere and ties the color scheme together perfectly. The painting of the backside of the figure is done with a little bit less attention than the front, but it's nevertheless a top entry.

3rd place: Pixie

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1418027847691403375

Comment by Timothy Day:
Positive Feedback:
The figure has a powerful presence, blending intricate detail with a strong, cohesive color palette. The detail work is precise, with every tiny element painted flawlessly and without error. There isn’t slop or spillover that distracts.They have done a phenomenal job of rendering a variety of realistic textures, including lustrous metal armor, soft garments, and lifelike fur. The face is a powerful focal point, featuring an intense expression, rich skin tones, and sharply painted eyes that give the character a soul.
Critical Feedback:
For future growth, consider pushing the shadows and highlights for even more dramatic effect and using varied finishes (e.g., ultra-matte on cloth) to enhance textural contrast. Overall, a masterful display of patience and artistry.
Congratulations on 3rd place!

Comment by Dianahase: This entry shines with incredible detail work and a very clean preparation. The armor is painted with great depth and richness, creating a powerful and majestic presence. A bit more light contrast on the head could direct the gaze of the viewer a bit more, but overall it’s a breathtaking and well-deserved winner.

Honorable mention

Of course, we couldn't just highlight top 3 and abandon all other entries, so let's look at some other entries that, in the eyes of the judges, came very close to obtaining the prize!

Alaiziagae

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1418932892507312291

Comment by Dianahase: The direct gaze and fiery wings give this piece a truly commanding, hellish presence. The colors are very well chosen and the painting is executed on a very high standard. Some extra contrast on the skin tones could make the figure stand out even more, but it’s already a breathtaking centerpiece.

Abril

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1419100634698748146

Comment by Timothy Day:
Positive Feedback:
This is a beautifully executed piece with a powerful presence. The standout feature is the exceptionally smooth blending and subtle underlying vein work on the skin and tentacles, which creates a very realistic and alien feel (forgive me, I don’t play the game). Your technical control is exceptional. The contrast between the pale lilac-ish skin and the intricate red armor is striking, and the surface preparation is immaculate with no visible print flaws.
Critical Feedback:
To elevate this, try focusing on pushing the overall contrast for a more dramatic impact. While the painting is very clean, adding deeper shadows and brighter highlights, especially to the dark armor and cloak, would create a greater sense of volume. A fantastic piece that showcases incredible blending skill and a great eye for texture.

Comment by Dianahase: The fine details like veins and varied gloss levels are painted with great skill, giving the figure depth and realism. The base could use more complexity to match the high standard of the figure, but it remains an impressive work.

kodani9466

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1414844359547031622

Comment by Dianahase: The entry is vibrant and full of storytelling, with clean blends. Some sharper highlights on the hair and a bit finer work on the face details could add even more impact.

Cona

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1418576205988495444

Comment by Dianahase: The cell-shading is crisp and bold, giving the figure a unique graphic impact. Some areas are not evenly covered in paint, but it’s already a striking and original piece.

The13thday

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1411427396875325480

Comment by Dianahase: The throne setting and dark, expressive painting give this piece a commanding presence. The painting is beautifully executed. Slightly sharper highlights on the wings and face could add more depth and "readability".

Lisena

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1412717755081424926

Comment by Dianahase: The figures are full of charm, with lifelike fur and feathers giving them warmth and character. A bit more shading on the base could enhance contrast, but it’s already a delightful and well-executed piece.

Golubeva V

More pics here: https://discord.com/channels/1027464521444507680/1418243390667100171

Comment by Dianahase: The icy tones and clean metallics give this figure a powerful, cold presence with great atmosphere. The cloak could use a bit more contrast and finer shading to bring out its texture.

Arkady88

More pics here:

Comment by Timothy Day:
Positive Feedback:
The piece's primary strengths lie in its graffiti style artistic vision and impressive technical execution. The bold, graffiti style authentically captures the show's chaotic energy and unique art style. This is supported by the superb storytelling on the base, featuring skillfully crafted details like a doll and a "Wanted" poster for a richer narrative. The technical highlight is the incredible skill shown in the freehand painting, demonstrated in the sharp and energetic tattoos and graffiti. Furthermore, the artist shows a high ability to paint realistic textures, exemplified by the convincing worn leather and scuffed metal on the boots.
Critical Feedback:
To elevate this piece higher, the focus should be on refining the technical control to match the brilliant artistic vision. The figure would benefit from smoother blends and transitions, particularly on the skin, to create a greater sense of realistic volume. The face, as a focal point, could be made more captivating with finer details in the eyes and a more subtle application of the makeup. The ambitious OSL effect from the weapon could be made more dramatic and convincing by having the glow be brightest near the source and fade in intensity more rapidly as it spreads across the body. Lastly, an area for growth is in the precision of the linework. While the overall style is effective, some details lose their impact up close due to paint spilling or incomplete lines. Striving for a crisper application in these areas would ensure the piece is as impressive under scrutiny as it is from a distance.

"Team's Favorite" Award

Of course, let's not forget the prize sought for by many participants: the chance to pick a model we'll sculpt in December!

For this, I invited every member of our extended team, including cutters, presupporters, and regular guest artists, to nominate one entry. Can you imagine how hard it is to make 14 people look through 238 entries and pick the one the like most? Welp, that didn't stop me from doing it anyway, and here is what we came up with:

And should you wish to look at any of them more closely, here's the list with Discord links:

In order to pick the winner, we conducted two rounds of anonymous multi-choice voting within the team. And even then, the votes came very close both times. In the end I even had to break the tie between two potential winners. And, after listening to compelling arguments from both sides, this is the entry I put my final vote for.

While the contest has produces a great number of truly stunning entries, we could only pick one for the special prize, and the work by The13thday leaves me with absolutely no reservations! It's a gorgeous figure no matter how long you look at it!

Congratulations to the winner!

But hey, don't close the tab just yet!

Special Achievements

With the sheer number of entries and only 4 prize spots, we really wanted everyone else to feel like their participation actually mattered and their entries were not there just to bloat the numbers. As such, we came up with an idea of marking certain feats with special achievements just for fun. Those are not meant to be pursued or taken seriously, so please just think of them as our token of appreciation to all the efforts you went through while taking part in this contest!

Please note that we had to manually go through all 238 entries several times to mark all those achievements, and we most certainly have made some mistakes with their assignment. If you find such errors, please just let us know in the respective entry channel!

Lastly, we are considering to print them as stickers and send them along with the pins. It hasn't been decided yet, so do let us know what you think of it!

You can find the full list of achievement assignments here.

Once again, thank you to everyone who participated in our painting contest! I hope to see you next year!

P.S. I'd like to say a huge "THANK YOU!" to PONGOJ, who spent days drawing all the art and achievements for this announcement. We love you and appreciate all your work!